Mine-gate.



w. H. TSCHANTZ;

Patented Dec. I9, 1899.

M IN E 6 AT E.

(AppZicati n filed Feb. 3, 1899.)

3 Sheath-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

W TNESSES Zia.

w: NORRIS PETERS c0. PNOYO-LITHG, WASHINGTON, D. c

No. 639,629. 7 Patented Dec. l9, I899. W. H. TSCHANTZ.

MINE GATE.

lAppuc-ation filed Febv 3. 1899. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

WwWESLSES [NV TOR "m: NORRIS PETERS cc s-nomm on msumsmu, n. c.

No. 639,629. Patented Dec. l9, I899.

W. H. TSCHANTZ.

MlNE GATE {Apyixcation Med Feb. 3, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

(No Model.)

WITNESSES 'ATENT Frrc.

WILLIAM H. TSOHANTZ, OF ORRVILLE, OHIO.

MINE-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lfatent No. 639,629, datedDecember 19, 1899.

Application filecl February 3,1899. Serial No. 704,343. (NomodelJ theair, and are therefore more quickly and easily operated, as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings similar letters of reference refer tosimilar parts.

. Figure l is a sectional view showing the rela tive position of theparts when the gates are opened. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the vertical shaft carrying the gates andthe plain bevel-gear by which the same are operated. Fig. 4 is a frontelevation of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bevelgear-wheels and the arms by which they are operated. Fig. 6 is a topView of the guideway and traveling bar by which the gates may beoperated when hinged together in the center. Fig. '7 is a perspectiveview of one of the operating-levers.

' Fig. 8 is a front view of the upper portion of one of said levers,showing the method of engagement with the shaft. Figs. 9 and 10 are planviews of the faces of the oscillating-clutch engagement of theoperating-levers with the shaft. Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective viewsof the latch mechanism for engaging and releasing the gates Figs. 13,14, and 15 are detail views of the latching device.

The gates A and A are carried by two vertical shafts B and B, j ournaledupon supporting-posts C and O, sunk in the ground upon the sides of thetrack. To the middle of the shaft B there is attached by means of athumbbolt a bevel gear-wheel b, which meshes with a correspondinglypartially geared wheel 79, carried upon a shaft b j ournaled in a box 17secured to the vertical post, and a box I), mounted upon the verticalshaft B. To the shaft 19 carrying the partially-geared wheel I), thereis attached a spacing-bar 11 having bolted to the free ends thereof bars12 and b", to which are attached the wires which communicate with andare attached to the various operating-levers, hereinafter more fullydescribed, the wires heretofore referred to being attached to slidingbolts passing through holes in the upturned ends of the bars Z9 and b"and preferably cushioned by coiled springs. To thepartially-bevel-geared wheel I) there is securely bolted a lever 12which is T-shaped in form, carrying rods 1) and N, which pass throughloops b and b on the end of the spacing-bar 11 one of which rods hasmounted upon ita coiled spring I), which acts as a spring-check againstsudden impulse.

Bolted to the tops of the vertical shafts B and B are crank-levers b andb, coupled by means of a connecting-rod 19 which causes theoppositely-disposed overlapping gatesto move in opposite directions,dividing the resistance caused by the air and permitting of their morerapid operation.

When the gates are hinged together in the center, as shown in Fig. 6,there is provided a trackway D, attached to the top of the gateframe,and a post at the side of the track, which acts as a guide for thetraveling bar (1, bolted at its other end to the gate. When this form isemployed, the shaft B is done away with, together with the crank arms orlevers b b" and the connecting-bar Z2 The operation of the verticalshaft B causes the gates to swing out and in, folding one upon theother, and vice versa.

On the side of the track upon which there is located the shaft B and ata suitable distance from the gates there are provided posts E and E,upon each of which there is journaled in any suitable manner a shaft 6,to the outer end of which there is bolted'the weighted bar a, to theends of which are attached wires b and Wand b and b. Upon the inner endof each shaft and loosely journaled thereon is the operating-lever ehaving at its lower end a roller 6 to engage the wheels of the cars asthey pass along the track. The upper end of the depending lever c is provided with an extension or lug 6 having engagement with a correspondinglug c upon a sleeve e secured to the shaft 6 by means of a thumb-bolt,thus forming a clutch which becomes operative only when the dependingoperating-lever has been raised to the proper height and prevents anysudden jar or strain which might be caused by the rapid contact of thecar-wheels therewith. To the end of the weighted bar e, attached to theshaft journaled on the post E, there are attached the connecting-wires band I), which cross and are attached to the ends of the spacingbar Z2The purpose of crossing these wires is to reverse the motion, so thatacar passing one of the depending operating-levers would cause the gatesto open, and passing the other depending operating-arm would cause themotion to be reversed and the gates closed.

For the purposeofprovidingapositivelatch, by means of which the gatesare held open while the cars are passing through and are in turnreleased when the last car shall have passed through, I provide themechanism shown in Figs. Hand 12. On opposite'sides of thegate-supporting frame and adjacent to the track are planted posts F, F,and F and posts F, F, and F and journaled in or upon these posts areshaftsfandf and shafts)" and f to which, on the inner ends thereof andnext to the rail, there are bolted depending operating levers or arms fand f and f andf, coupled together by connecting-rods f and f to engagewith and be carried upward by the rim of the car-wheels. Upon the outerends of the shafts f and f are looselyjournaled the oscillatingclutch-levers f and f similar in construction to those heretoforedescribed. Mounted upon the brace f ,connecting the posts F and F thereis bolted an L-shaped frame f, to which there is pivotally attached thelatch f. To the lever f there is pivotally attached the actuating-bar f,having a sliding engagement with the latch f by means of the projectionfand held in position by means of a lipf, turned down upon thesupportingframe f. To the outer end of the latch f there is attached a Ushaped spring, the other end of which is engaged with the L-shaped framef The oscillating clutch-levers are connected by means of the wire fthrough which the power is transmitted to the latching device.

It will be observed that each of the operative levers and spacing-barshas the oscillating-clutch connection with the shaft upon which it ismounted, and by means of the sleeves, adjustable on the shaft, they canbe so set as to permit the levers to become operative only in onedirection and to take up the jar of any sudden contact.

In operation, the gates being closed and the car passing along thetrack, the wheels thereof come in contact with the first dependingopcrating-lever and cause it to pass up and over the rim of the wheel,the motion being transmitted by means of the spacing-bar to the bevelgear-wheels, which cause the gates to swing open. One of them engageswith the spring latching device, and they are thus held open until thelast car passes the connecting bars or rods on the opposite side, whenthe same drop down, transmitting the motion to and releasing thespring-catch and disengaging the gates, which are again closed by meansof the weighted spacing-bar swinging down into its normal position andtransmitting the motion through the Wires to the bevel gear-wheels.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a mine trap-door, the combination ofoppositely-disposed gates mounted upon vertical shafts, provided withcrank-levers coupled together, depending oscillating clutchleversjournaled at the side of the track, and upon both sides of the gates, abevel-gear train communicating with one of the vertical shafts, andWires connecting the gear-train with the oscillating clutch-levers,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a mine trap-door, the combination of oppositely-disposed gatesmounted upon vertical shafts coupled together, with dependingoscillating clutch-levers journaled at the side of the track, and uponboth sides of the gates, a bevel-gear train communicating with one ofthe vertical shafts, wires connecting the gear-train with theoscillating clutch-levers, a spring-actuated latching device mounted atthe side of the track, and means for disengaging the same, substantiallyas described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a mine trap-door, the combination of a gate mounted upon avertical shaft with the depending oscillating clutch-levers jon rnaledat the side of the track, and upon both sides of the gate, a bevel-geartrain communicating with the vertical shaft, and wires connecting thegear-train with the oscillating levers, substantially as describedandfor the purpose set forth.

4. In a mine trap-door, the combination of a gate mounted upon avertical shaft with the depending oscillating clutch-levers journaled atthe side of the track, and upon both sides of the gate, a bevel-geartrain communicating with the vertical shaft, wires connecting thegear-train with the oscillating clutch-levers, a spring-actuatedlatching device mounted at the side of the track, and means fordisengaging the same, substantially as described and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. TSCI-IANTZ.

Witnesses:

CHAS. R. MILLER, OHAs. M. BALL.

